Change-speed gearing.



G. GOTTA.

CHANGE SPEED GEARING. APPLIUATION FILED 111K320, 1910 986,444, Q I Patented Mar.14,1911.

2 SHBETFBEEBT 1.

G. GOTTA.

CHANGE SPEED GEABING.

APPLICATION FILED Jun 20, 1910.

986,444. Patented Mar. 14, 1911.

2 SHEETS-BEBE! 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES GOTTA, OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS.

CHANGE-SPEED GEARING.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES Corra, a citizen of the United States. residing at. Rockford, in the county of Winnebago and State of Illinois, haveinvented a new and useful Change-Speed Gearing, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to transmission mechanism for motor vehicles and other inachinery where a change speed gearing is desired, and the invention consists in the peculiar details of construction hereinafter fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings. in which- Figure 1 is a face view of the variable speed gears and clutches: Fig. 2 is a transverse section substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, showing additional related parts; Fig. 3 is a detail of the shifting mechanism substantially on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2-. and Fig. l is an end view of the. controlling lever and parts directly connected thereto.

Throughout the following-detail description and on the several figures. of the drawings similar parts are referred to by like ref erence characters.

Referring to the drawings for a. specific description of the mechanism, the numeral '10 indicates what may be regarded as a power or driving shaft having a hollow hub or journal 11. The driven .shaft'12 is in alineme-nt with the driving shaft and has its end 13 journaled for rotation in the aforesaid hub 11. Said shafts may be mounted 1n any suitable bearings, represented diagrammatically at 14. A counter shaft 15, journaled 1n bearings 16, is located parallel to the axis of the aforesaid shafts, and is adapted to be rotated continuously from the power shaft- 10 by virtue of a pair of gears 17 and 18 fixed respectively to the power and counter shafts. The foregoing specific descrlption of the shafts will be understood as being for the sake of convenience of this specification only, and that any one of the shafts may for certain purposes be regarded as themotor or driving shaft. without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The gear 171s provided with a series of clutch teeth 19 having beveled ends, and mounted slidably and non-rotatably upon the shaft 12 is a gear 20 having aseries of clutch teeth 21 of the same character as the teeth 19 with which they are adapted to en- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 20, 1910.

Patented Mar. 14,1911.

Serial No. 567,944.

gage when the gear is moved toward the gear 17. The gear 20 1S']')I'0V1d6(1 also with a flanged collar 24 for the accommodation of a yoke whereby the gear 20 may be either moved toward or from the gear 17 or held spaced therefrom.

When it is desired to operate the shaft 12 in unison with the shaft 10 direct connection between the same will be effected by moving the gear20 toward the gear 17, bringing the clutch teeth 21 and 19 into operative engagement. \Vhen a slower speed of the shaft 12 is desired than is realized under the direct connection with the power shaft the following devices are employed: Upon the counter shaft- 15 is rigidly connected a collar 25 having on one side a series of peculiarly formed clutch teeth 26. Each of said teeth is provided with an angularly formed recess a on its outer end, one of the walls of which is substantially parallel to the front surface of the tooth and the other wall of which is preferably at right angles thereto.

A gear 22 is mounted on the counter shaft 15 between the collar 25 and gear 18, the

gear 22 being mounted for free rotation and slidable movement and is provided on one face with a series of clutch teeth 23 similar to the aforesaid clutch teeth 26, with which they are adapted to engage, and said gear 22 is also provided with a yoke collar 2. 1. The gears 20 and 22 are in constant mesh and are adapted anism, hereinbelow described, to be moved simultaneously on their respective shafts or to be held so that the clutches so far described will be in engagement. As viewed in Fig.- 1 when the gears 20 and 22 are shifted .to'the left and there, held the shaft 12 Will -be driven in the same direction as the shaft 10 but at a slower speed, the power being transmitted through gears 17 and 19, countershaft 15, collar 25, clutch teeth 26 and 23, and gears is also provided with a second series of clutch teeth 26, similar to the clutch teeth 26, which are adapted to cooperate with a similar set of clutch teeth 30 on the adjacent face of a gear 29 loosely and slidably mounted on the counter shaft and in constant mesh with a gear 27 slidably and nonrota-- by peculiar shifting mech-- 22 and 20. The collar 25 driven may be shifted in unison toward or from the collar 25 or held from movement on their respective supports. When it is desired to operate the driven; shaft at a still slower speed than heretofore contemplated, the gears 20 and 22 -will be held in their neutral position, shown in Fig. 1, and the gears 27 and 29 will be shifted toward the right in said figure bringing the clutch teeth 30and 26' into engagement so that the power will be transmitted from the shaft 10 through gears 17 and 18, counter shaft 15, collar 25, clutch teeth 26' and 30,. and gears 29 and 27, rotating the shaft]? at the slowest speed in the direction of the power shaft.

As is customary in transmission gearing of the ty e to which this invention relates it is desira le to provide a slow speedin the reverse direction. To this end I mount loosely and non-slidably onshaft 12 a gear 32, which may correspond in size to the slow speed gear 27 above described. A pinion 36 is fix'ed upon the counter shaft 15, said pinion being. spaced from the gear 32, but from whichpmion the said gear will be rotated by an intermediate idler gear 34 mounted u on any .convenient support 35. The gear 2 is provided with a series of clutch teeth 28, similar to those described, and adapted to en age'a set.- of similar clutch teeth 33 on the a jacent face of the gear 32. When the reverse 0 ehation is desired the gears 27 and 29 are shifted to the left as viewed in Fig. 1 so as to bring the clutch teeth 28 and 33 into interlocking engagement. The power will then be' transmitted ,from the shaft 10 through gears 17 and 18, counter shaft 15,

gears 36,34, and 32, clutch teeth 33 and 28,

and ear 2?, driving the shaft 12 at a slow spee in the direction reverse to the shaft '10.- The peculiar.shape of clutch teeth on the parts pertaining to the counter shaft constitutes a distinct advantage over the ordinary forms of clutch teeth for the purpose of facilita'ting engagement when the part to be temporarily operated at a higher speed than the driving element, the peculiar form providing an unusual amount of clearance to allow the parts to enter to the shoulders of the recesses a even when the difference in speed of rotation may beconsiderable and whereby eflect-ive interlocking engagement for operation at the desired speed may be accomplished much easier and quicker than has heretofore been possible.

As was heretofore premised peculiar shift ing mechanism must be provided whereby no more than'one pair of clutch teeth may be in engagement at one time, all the othersbein" held neutral or out ofenga'gement. In

or er to accomplish this with the least ,pos-

sible mechanism and to provide'a construe.

tion which is'simple and compact, insuring that the mechanism will be the least likely to become out of order and to occupy the least possible space, I provide-a pair of yoke having constant engagement with the collars 3i and 31 respective y of the gears 27 and 29. The sleeves 38 and 40 are furthermore provided with apair of lugs or projections 42 and 43 respectively, said lugs having notches or sockets 44 which are in alinement as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 when the gears are all 111 the neutral position indicated in Fig. 1.

In order to shift either of the sleeves 38or 40 in either direction along its rod while the other is held in its neutral position, I provide a rock shaft 45, suitably journaled in a casing A and bearing 46, and secure to said rock -shaft a finger 50, said finger being adapted to span the space between the sock ets 44 of both of said lugs 42 and 43 or to operate in either of them alone, depending upon the longitudinal position of the rock shaft 45 in its bearings, the shaft being adapted either to normally occupy the mid posit-ion indicated in Fig. 2 or tobe moved either toward the right or toward the left from said mid position. whenthe'sha'ft'is moved inwardly or toward the right the finger 50 will engage the lug 43 alone aridwhen;

moved toward the left it will engage-the lug 42 alone so that by rotating the rock shaft 45 after being thus shifted longitudinally one of the sleeves will be shifted longitudinally of its support in the direction cor-responding to the directionof rotation of the shaft 45 and hence bringing the desired pair of clutches into operation and holdingthe other pair of the same set out of operation. In order to prevent the other sleeve from sliding on its support I provide a locking yoke 51' of peculiar compact construction.

Said yoke comprises a pair of parallel legs 51 having feet '51" in alinement with each other and with the operative end of the finger 50 when the parts are in their normal neutral position. One of saidffeet 51 is provided-with a lateral projection 52 "slidably mounted in the wall 'of the casing A in such a manner as to prevent rotation of the yoke 51. Said yoke is loosely mounted upon the shaft 45 and embraces the finger 50, the legs 51 of the yoke being rigidly connected by abridge 51. The yoke will therefore be shifted longitudinally with the shaft 45 but is held from rotation with respect to the shaft andfinger 50. When the shaft and finger are shifted longitudinally preparatory to shifting one of the sleeves 38 or 40as the struction and arrangement of these several parts are such that the roclr shaft can not be rotated when in its neutral position for thereason that the finger 50 will engage both of the lugs 42 and 43 which are held from movement by the'yoke 51, and furthermore after one of the sleeves has been shifted in the manner above set forth it must be brought back to neutral position before any further change of speed may be effected. The rock shaft 45 is provided with a fixed collar 53, between which and the supports for the shaft are arranged a pair of springs 54, tending normally to hold the shaft in its neutral position.

A pivot block 47 is loosely mounted upon the shaft 45 adjacent the outer end of the bearing 46 and to which is pivoted a single operating lever 48, whereby when the lever is moved to the right or left on its pivot pin 47 as viewed in Fig. 2, the shaft 45 will be moved longitudinally to the right or left preparatory to the shifting of one or the other of the sleeves 40 or 38. The connection between the lever 48 and said shaft 45 is effected by means of a curved arm 49 rigidly connected at one end to the shaft and loosely connected at its other end to the lever at 49. The lever is operative to rotate the rock shaft 45 in either of its positions to which it may be moved on its pivot 47.

I claim:

1 In change speed gearing, the combination of adriving shaft, a driven shaft, a counter shaft, means whereby the counter shaft is constantly driven from the driving shaft, a plurality of'gearsslidably and nonrotatably mounted on the driven shaft, a plurality of gears meshing with the aforesaid gears and loosely and slidably mounted on said counter shaft, means whereby either of the said counter shaft gears may be connected to the counter shaft .to be driven therefrom, and means to hold said other counter-shaft gear free from operation by the counter shaft.

2, In change speed gearing, the combination of a drlving shaft, a driven shaft, a counter shaft, means to drive the counter shaft continuously from the driving shaft, a

. clutch collar rigidly connected to the counter shaft, a pair of gears mounted loosely and slidably on the counter shaft on opposite sides of said collar, each of said gears hav-.

ing a series of clutch teeth ada ted to engage with the ,elutch teeth of sand collar, a

pair of gears slidably and non-rotatably mounted on said driven shaft, the latter pair of gears being in constant mesh each to each I with said counter shaft gears, means to slide either meshing pair of gears simultaneously so as to effept engagement thereof with said clutch collar, and means to'hold the other meshing pair of gears free from said collar.

3. 1n change speed gearing, the combination of a driving shaft, a hollow hub secured thereto, a driven shaft in alinement with the driving shaft and journaled in said hub, a counter shaft, means to constantly drive the counter shaft from said hub, a pinion fixed to the counter shaft, a pair of gears loosely and slidably mounted upon the counter shaft, means whereby either of said gears may be driven from the counter shaft, a pair of gears slidably and non-rotatably mounted upon the driven shaft and meshing with the counter shaft gears each to each, means to hold said pairs of meshing gears out of engagement with the counter shaft gear driv-- ing means, means to connect one of the driven shaft gears for direct operation from said driving shaft hub, a gear rotatably mounted on the driven shaft, means to connect the other of said driven shaft slidable gears with the rotatable gear, and means to drive said rotatable gear from said counter shaft pinion, substantially as set forth.

4. In change speed mechanism, the combination of a continuously rotating shaft, a clutch collar fixed thereto, said clutch collar having clutch teeth on opposite sides thereof. the ends of said teeth being provided with angular recesses, a pair of different sized gears loosely and slidably mount ed on said shaft, each of said gears having clutch teeth directed toward and similar to, the clutch teeth of said collar, a

.engagementof one pair while the other is held free from said clutch collar. g

'5. In change speed mechanism, the combination of a double clutch collar, the teethofwhich are each provided with-an end socket, means for driving said clutch collar constantly in a certain direction, a pair of difierentsized gears -1nounted loosely for movement toward or from said clutch collar, each of said gears having clutch teeth directed toward and similar to-the aforesaid clutch teeth, a driven shaft, a pair of different sized gears mounted slidably upon the driven shaft and meshing severally with the aforesaid different sized gears in reverse order, means for shifting the pair of meshing "gears of higher speed away from said clutch collar and to shift the other of said pair of meshing gears intoengagement with said clutch collar, said means constituting also means to hold the non-engaging pair of gears out of engagement with the clutch collar, a pair of gears slidably mounted upon the driven shaft and meshing each to each with the counter shaft gears, a pair of sleeves slidable parallel to the aforesaid shafts, ,each of said sleeves having a pair of yokes in constant operative engagement with V a meshing pair of said gears, and'means to slide eitherof said sleeves and its ears into or'out ofengagement with said 0 utch collar, said means also serving to hold' the other said collar. r

7. In change speed mechanism, the combination of a driving shaft, adriven shaft, a counter shaft, means to drive the counterv shaft from the driving shaft, a pair of ears slidably mounted on the counter s aft, means to drive either of said gears from the counter shaft, a pair of gears slidably mounted on the driven shaft and meshing constantly each to each with the counter shaft gears, means to slide either pair of meshing gears into or out of engagement with the counter shaft driving means and to hold the other pair' of meshing gears free from the counter shaft driving means, saidgear sliding means including pairs of yokes 1n constantcngage'ment with the respective pairs of meshing gears, and a single operating lever to control said pairs of yokes'.

In change speed mechanism, the combination with pairs of slidable gears having clutch collars, of a pair of yoke members each having a pair of yokes in constant enof said sleeves and related gears from witnesses;

gagement with a pair of said clutch collars,

said yoke members having lugs with sockets ada ted to aline with each other, a rock shaft parallel to said sockets, a finger secured to the rockshaft-and extending into said sockets, alocking yoke mounted loosely 0 upon the rock shaft and embracing said finger, said yoke havin feet coextensive with said finger and a apted to register I therewith in normal position, means to prevent the locking yoke from "rotation apdj means to slide the rock shaft, finger, and locking yoke longitudinally withrespect to the aforesaid yoke members- 9. -In change speed mechanism, the combination with pairs of constantly meshing slidable gears, of sliding mechanism com-" prising a pair of yoke members, each of said members having a pair of yokes in constant engagement with the corresponding pair of meshing'gears, said yoke-member's being 6.5

also provided with a pair of lugs having notches disposed transversely to the direc-' tion' of movement of the yoke members, and adapted to aline with each other in normal position, a rock shaft, said rock shaft being longitudinally movable and rotatable on an axis parallel to said lug sockets, means to restrain the rock shaft normall from endwise movement, a finger secure to the rock shaft and adapted to extend 'into the afore- 7-5 other yoke member whilethe former is be- So.

ing shifted. V

In test afiixed my signature in the presence oftwo CHARLES. oorra' -IVitnesses: i Y

BERTHA RL KEAL, E. M. ST. JoHN.

ony whereof I have hereunto i 

